Fence post anchor



Aug 2, 1932- A. 1 GoLDENsTAR 1,869,744

FENCE POST ANCHOR Filed Sept. 19. 1928 'fZUe/'f'l v27ml. 0056276725 f: 139%@ d' M Patented Aug. 2, y1932 n UNITEDL-STATES ARTHUR L. eoLnENsTAR, oEDUturn,v MINNESOTA raam l cette? @rnc-E VEinvc'E Pos'r ANCHOR dentally displaced after once being embedded inthe earth. v Y

Many devices have heretofore been devised fg. for 'performing the function recited above, 10 but Vgenerally the use `of the devices ofthe prior art involves the formation of a plurality 1Yof`lioles, one of .which Vlis adapted to receive the base of thel pole, or post, and the other, the anchoring device. In view of the fact that the digging of these holesy is laborious and involves a' considerable expenditure of time, it will be-appreciated that the provision of an anchoring device which4 would eliminate the necessity of providing'a separate'hole for its embedment would be extremely vdesirable, and 1 it vis' accordingly n' an important objectcf the present invention to providefa device" of this improvedcharacter that is extremely simple in design and construction ,and efcient in operation. V'A feature of the invention thatlendsitself to the accomplishment ofthe recited 'obing memberV adapted to project laterally beyond the sides ofthe postv to engage 'within the surrounding earth.y In the illustrated embodiment of the invention,v the elongated which is` secured, in perpendicular relation, to the base extremity Vof the post. Y In setting up a fence post equipped with an anchor off the new style, it iscontemplated to( dig a hole of an elongated cross-sectional shape, to ac-` Y commodate readily the yelongated anchoring member, and thereafter,'when the post has been seated in the hole, to rotate ,the'post -a quarter of a turni in eitherdirectionto cause the laterally projecting ends of the plate to embed themselves in the undisturbed-soil at the sides and bottom of the hole. Thus the anchor receives its holding power not only l from theearth which is tampedin the hole,- V 50 butal'so ina large degree from the gripit ject consists inproviding thebas'e of a fenceV post, or the like, with yan' elongated anchor-- anchoring member comprisesl a `flat plate.

' disposition-of thelower portion of the post` y Application led SepteinherlB, 1928. Serial No. 307,021.

takes inthe natural undisturbed soil at the sides and .bottom of the hole.v

To facilitatethe' cutting of the anchoring lplate into the earth during rotation of the post towwphich the plate'israttached, the inf7.

vention contemplates forming the *plateY of such a shape that a Aslicing or shearing action takes' place,as contrasted with a pushing action, and as illustrated, the plate is made of A rectangular form with its corners cut away c uniformly to 'provideV angularly disposed edges which slice their way into the soil as already mentioned. To insure that the .anchoring plate will remain bodily stationary at'the bottom of hole during rotation the're- 6 of, and to insurefagainst ittilting Vor other- Wise becoming displaced bodily--inl which condition the post will lean and no longer be disposed in the desired linegof the fence-a Y a 1 n a l further feature of the invention consists inf' forming the elongated plate symmetricallyV withrespect to a center line wherebyequal pressure is exerted upon the diagonally ops vposite edges during the cutting operation and i the post tends to remain vertical in thehole.

Still another featureY of the invention consists in the provision of inexpensive and fefiicient means for securing the anchor to the post. As ,n illustrated, bolts extend between y the Yanchor and the post rigidly to connect the two members in such a manner that the'like-` p lihood of breakage that arises from the use of moving part-s, such ashinges, pivots, etc., is Y reduced to a minimum. Furthermore, such a provision permits rotation of the fence post j in either direction which is very important inasmuch as obstructions are often encountered during rotation of the post in one direction that make it desirable to rotate the post in the opposite direction. f

Other objects and features of the'invention will become apparent from a reading of Vthe following, specification ink the light of the accompanying drawing, in which# Y Eigure l is a plan view of a hole having a post provided with the improved anchoring device disposed therein; v Y' `,Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing the L' Figure 1.

within the hole before the anchoring device has been put in operation;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the anchoring device in an operative position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the anchoring device in an operative position; and Y i Figure 5 is a view showing the manner in which the post is braced.

As shown in the drawing, the reference numeral 10 indicates a fence post of a conventional type that is made Vfrom a metal angle iron, or bar, as more clearly shown in A post of this character can be conveniently set into the ground by boring one or more auger holes and inserting the post within the bored out hole. A hole so formed is more desirable than a dug hole inasmuch as considerably more earth must be removed in making a hole of the latter type, and, in replacing the earth after the post has been inserted, the back-filled earth cannot be tamped as solidly in the large conically shaped dug hole as in a smaller cylindrical hole of the type that is made by an auger.

For the purpose of preventing the fence post from becoming dislodged or pulling out during use, it is provided with an anchoring device shown in the formof a flat elongated member 12 which is connected rigidly to the lower extremity of the fence post 10 by means of standard bolts 14 that are bent, as shownv in Figures 2 and 4, to extend outwardly from the post and thence downwardly through the anchoring member 12. Vhile the connecting means has been illustrated herein in the form of standard bolts, it is, of course, to be understood that various other suitable fastening means, as for example, rivets, clamps, etc., may be employed if desired. Y

In the use of a post provided with an' anchoring member of the illustrated type, a suitable hole may be formed by boring two auger holes of a diameter slightly greater than the width of the anchoring memberl and placing them distance apart such that upon removing the earth from between the two holes, the length of the completed hole is slightly greater than the length of the elongated anchoring plate, all as 'shown in Figures 1 and 3. VA suitable hole having once Vbeen provided the post 10, with the plate 12 attached thereto, is lowered into the hole until the plate comes to rest upon the earth at the bottom, as shown in Figure 2, whereupon the pestis rotated a quarter of a turn 1n either direction to cause the opposite ends of theV plate 12, which project laterally beyond the i sides of the post 10, to cut or force their way manner described, is well brought out in Figures 3 and 4, from an inspection of which it will be observed that the plate 12 is of rectangular form having the corners uniformly cut away and that the post 10 is connected to the center of the plate. The purpose of truncating the corners of the plate is to enable the anchoring device to slice or shear its way into the soil upon rotation of the post rather than to push or thrust its way in as it would do if the side edges of the plate were allowed to remain straight and unbroken. It will also be noticed-that the plate 12 is symmetrically shaped with relation to its longitudinal center line, and this feature of construction insures equal pressure being exerted upon the diagonally opposite edges of the plate as they are cutting into the earth and prevents accidental dislocation of the fencepost as it is bei-ng rotated. It is Ato be understood, of course, that the shape of the anchoring plate 12' may be varied as desired without depart-y ing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Thus its surface contour may be varied from concave to convex, and its edge contouror profile may be varied in any desired manner as for example., by making it oval. diamondshaped, etc.; the important consideration be` ing that the plate ,remain elongated in order that it may be inserted into thehole without engaging the side walls thereof and afterwards operated to anchor itself firmly in the. side walls. Y v

In the illustrated embodiment .of the invention7 the post 10 is shown as equipped with a cross-grip anchor 16 in the form of a plate that is bored out centrally at 18. loosely,V to encircle the post while resting upon the upper surface of the rigid anchor plate 12. The loose cross-grip anchor does not interfere in any wise. with the positive operation of the rigid anchor 12 and increases materially the holding power of the anchor by reason of be desirable to omit the'loose cross-grip an-` chor from theassemblage` but when posts are being erected in soft or loose soil, it will be found desirable to provide the additional member which, as above pointed'out. increases the holding area without necessitating additional. labor or other changes of any kind.

The anchoring plate 12 mav be advantageously used as a brace plate for corner fence post-s and the like and a plate employed in this manner is designated by the reference character 2() in Figure 5. As shown in this view, a brace member 22 is loosely pivoted at 24 to the post 10 and the plate 2O is rigidly mounted upon the free end of the brace member. Y Y

In operation, the post 10 is inserted into the hole and the brace member 22 may thereafter be utilized in rotating the post to anchorV Y being under the portion of the brace whichV the plate 12 in the sides and bottom of thev hole. l/Vhen the post is vturned the proper distance and the post hole is back-filled and firmly tamped, the brace-22 is lowered until the brace plate 20 rests upon the ground from which position it is driven to a desired depth in the earth by means of a sledge, or other suitable tool; the `only excavating necessary is driven below the surface.

While the invention has been described herein with particular reference to fence posts, it is to be understood that the invention contemplates employment in connection with other similar poles and posts, and that it contemplates'changing the shape and design of the various parts in order to meet i conditions prevailing in the vicinity in which the anchoring devices are employed.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

The combination with a fence post,of an anchoring device associated with the base of the post, said anchoring device comprising two members, one of said members comprising an elongated plate rigidly secured to the base of the post and adapted to be imbedded in the soil upon rotation of the post, the other member comprising a second plate provided with an opening and arranged to loosely en-Y circle the post and to rest upon the'upper surface of the first named plate.

Signed at Duluth, Minnesota, this 13th day f of September, 1928.

ARTHUR L. GOLDENSTAR. 

